Offensive offense: Mets lose to Nationals 2-0

Drew Storen came in and retired pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy on a game-ending flyout with runners at the corners for his second save,.

Washington opened an 8½-game NL East lead over the second-place Braves heading into a three-game series at Atlanta starting Friday. The Nationals are closing in on the capital's first postseason baseball berth since the original Washington Senators in 1933.

"This was a big series," manager Davey Johnson said. "We need to kind of drive the nail in their coffin over here and come into Atlanta in a good frame of mind."

NOTES: Washington has won eight in a row in Queens and 12 of 13. ... The Mets scratched Murphy from the starting lineup because of a sore back. Ronny Cedeno took his place at 2B but left in the sixth because of a tight right hamstring. ... Players' association head Michael Weiner, undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, was in the Mets' clubhouse speaking with players before the game. ... The previous big league team to score three runs or fewer in 13 straight home games was Seattle, which did it 16 in a row from Aug. 7 to Sept. 13, 2010, according to STATS LLC. ... The Mets were 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, dropping to .201 since the All-Star break. They were at .269 in the first half.